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Monthly Archives: September 2010

Fall has officially begun and now it is time to start changing up the maintenance on your Colorado landscaping in order to preserve it’s health and beauty. Colorado is gorgeous in the Fall. Since the weather is changing and the leaves are turning, here are some great Fall landscaping tips from Lifescape Associates that will keep your Fall landscaping looking its best:

Cover Summer flowers at night.

If you are still holding on to those Summer flowers, by covering your plants at night, they can avoid the frost.

Trim brown/dead parts showing on perennials.

This helps to keep the garden looking tidy during the Fall, it will also allow the plant to continue growth and not be hindered by dead material. Be careful to trim brown stems and branches on shrubs as it may be an alive branch that has gone dormant for the winter and will hold healthy growth for the upcoming Spring.

Spread winterizing fertilizers on your lawns into October.

Winterizing fertilizers are high in Phosphorous stimulating root growth. Doing this will help greening up and having a thick healthy lawn in the Spring.

Plant more fibrous and woody plants.

More fibrous and woody foliage can stand up to certain cold temperatures and frost accumulation.

Trim grasses if you don’t want to see the golden stems.

Many people like the look of grasses and keep the golden colored stems throughout winter. Often, though, Colorado gets heavy snows that can mash down grasses. If this is the case, trim the top two-thirds of the grass leaving the base for new growth in the Spring.

Wrap newly planted soft-bark trees.

This protects the trees against sun scalding in the fall and winter. The tree wrap helps disperse the heat from the sun to all sides of the tree. Usually, wrapping the tree from the base up to the first branches is all the wrap you’ll need.

Water Fall and Winter plants.

After the irrigation system has been turned off, it is smart to water fall and winter plants, especially the broadleaf evergreens to keep them alive. Often in Colorado we get 50 and 60 degree days which can create drought for the plant potentially killing it.

Protect your irrigation systems.

Irrigation system blow-outs: typically happen in mid-October to mid-November. These protect your irrigation systems from collecting ice and creating leaks in the future. Please call Lifescape Associates at 303.831.8310 if you would like to schedule an irrigation system blow-out.

Since Fall is here and the holidays are beginning to be the focus on everyone’s mind lets talk about a popular holiday tree, the Colorado blue spruce tree. A lot of times people start out buying the tree as a potted plant for indoor holiday decoration. Then after the holidays, they will plant their blue spruce trees outside as a landscaping plant.

Colorado blue spruce trees usually grow to be about 30 to 60 feet high and their limbs and needles spread out to about 10 to 20 feet. It’s pyramid shape and silver-blue needles make then a great classic choice for Christmas trees. They are also great for winter landscaping. In areas in the North were it snows, the Colorado blue spruce provides a picturesque winter scene that is very beautiful and natural.

As far as caring for the Colorado blue spruce tree, you won’t have to do a lot of pruning. However if you prefer denser foilage, the tree can be pruned. You want to plant the tree in a location where it will receive full to partial sun and where there is moist, fertile soil.

As projects grow in size, more and more details arise that are analyzed to ensure a complete design. Located in one of the most historically prevalent districts of Denver, this project has become a strong design for Lifescape Associates’ portfolio. The design reflects the Italian, Formal Garden with a Colorado twist. A few of the great features are an indoor pool, dining/cooking area, private grotto terrace and new plants.

Plan

Elevation

Plans, elevations and modeling software have been especially beneficial on this project. The designers have collaborated with client, architect as well as the city board, requiring a variety of views for each participant. For example, below are a set of images that were quickly adjusted to explore the alternatives in the front facade; a) ornamental tree accents, b) evergreen tree screens, c) or a secret grove recess.

If you are wondering if you need to have mulch around your tree and plant beds, the answer is yes.

It only benefits you to have mulch surrounding your tree and plant beds because it will prevent weeds from growing, retain moisture and aid in protecting the tree trunks from damage.

Here’s a tip: For the best results, make sure you maintain the mulch depth of approximately three inches. And in order to prevent mold growth and rot, have a small gap around your tree trunks and plants.

If your landscaping slopes or all of your yard is not on the ground level, retaining walls can help you achieve the attractive landscaping look you desire. In order to build a pool, patio or even a playground for your children, you need to have level ground. The functional purpose of a retaining wall is to provide pressure to hold back the soil and rocks that would otherwise fall down hill.A beautiful retaining wall can be the solution you are looking for because it can create a usable space that is leveled and safe.

Retaining walls can be made from many materials. But natural stone is a great choice for an elegant and natural looking retaining wall. Take a look at some Lifescape Associates retaining wall projects :